André le Chapelier review: our verdict
Two days: that's the turnaround time to leave Guéliz with a Panama hat perfectly fitted to your head. Grandson of a French hatter, André himself trained the team that shapes them on-site, using straw sourced from Ecuador. On the adjacent shelves, Borsalino, capelines, and berets are displayed in a range of colours and styles, filling a small boutique within the Jaccard building on Mohammed V Avenue.
Nothing is rushed: you try them on, admire them, change shapes, all with gentle advice and no pressure to buy. The styles suit both men and women, and the materials are of fine quality. A good reflex before the first heatwaves, and a gift idea that's a change from babouches. Less for those who want a hat grabbed in two minutes between errands: here, trying on is part of the experience.
The good tip: made-to-measure, providing your model and head circumference, delivered in about two days. The trap: visiting on a Sunday, the boutique is closed; the rest of the week, it's open from 10:30 to 19:00. A second boutique is located at 33 Majorelle.
